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Plato's Symposium: The First Tragedy

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As I read my second book that involves Socrates, I enjoy reading about him. You get the sense that he has a lot of knowledge to share with others and that many people want to listen to what he has to say. Another thing I like about him is that he isn’t afraid to add in sarcastic comments, even to those that are popular. At the beginning of the book, Symposium, a story was being told to a rich businessman that was passed down by a few people because it was the famous story of a party that was to celebrate the honor of Agathon and the success of the first tragedy. Apollodorus, the one telling the story, heard it from Aristodemus, a guest at the party with Socrates. Socrates was going to a dinner at Agathon’s because his work of art won him the first prize at the Lenaean festival. As Socrates and Aristodemus are walking to the party, Socrates falls behind and Aristodemus arrives by himself. Socrates refuses to go in and stays on the neighbor’s porch thinking. Halfway through the meal, Socrates comes in to join. Agathon asked Socrates to share his wisdom while he sits by him on the couch where Socrates responds a little sarcastically. They then sit down and decide to have a serious conversation instead of enjoy the entertainment. At this point, I was surprised because the title of the book is Symposium, which means drinks-party, but instead …show more content…

Hesiod said, “Chaos was the first existence, but was followed by Earth and Love.” Acusilaus and Parmenides agree that Love is among the oldest gods. Phaedrus then goes into detail about how Love teaches us that there is shame in acting disgracefully and there is pride in acting well. He tells stories of those that would sacrifice their life for the ones they love. Phaedrus then concludes that the most honored and ancient of the gods is Love and it is capable of giving you happiness and

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In the Apology by Plato, Socrates defends himself against his accusers in court, and begins by declaring that he is not an especially great speaker but that he only speaks the truth. In this, he tells his accusers that they should not fear him but only the truth itself. In the depiction of Socrates' last speech, he makes a bold claim that he has been deemed the wisest man in Athens by the god of Delphi ( Plato, ., Jowett, n.d. ). He goes on to explain that while he searched for those that thought themselves wise,

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In this play the Socrates here doesn't sound like the Socrates from the Apology or the real life Socrates. The real Socrates doesn't actually teach per say, he teaches in a way that makes you yourself use your brain. He makes you question everything and understand things based on your own perception. The writer of this play clearly felt as if Socrates was a major problem in his society for allowing people to actually try to think outside of the box and ask questions. He most likely enjoyed the fact that everyone were robots and all thought alike and believed in the same thing because it brought no need to bring out discussion.

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The general theme of The Republic is the meaning of justice captured by Socrates and Cephalus speaking about the benefits of growing old. The conversation quickly becomes an argument between the two about what justice is. Cephalus is a business man, a pillar of the community, and a man of religion. When speaking about his wealth he seems apathetic about money; this is when Socrates has an epiphany about Cephalus inheriting his money and explains the manner in which one acquires their money as speaks volumes to how intently they appreciate it.

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This relationship was based upon total compassion and love. Socrates was there in his Right’s last moments. He proved to be a loyal friend giving his own, fairly limited, wealth to better Right’s standard of living. This male relationship is different from the other two, in that it has much more vulnerability. Rather than Socrates serving as a mentor or challenger, he is serving as Right’s equal.

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He disagrees with every suggestion offered, showing how it has hidden contradictions. But he never offers a definition of his own, and the discussion ends in a deadlock, where no further progress is possible and the interlocutors don’t feel sure of their beliefs anymore. When Book I opens, Socrates is returning home from a religious festival with his young friend, when Polemarchus, tell them to take a visit to his house. There they join Polemarchus’s aging father and others.

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Socrates was sympathetic towards Agathon’s speech this is why I believe all philosophers

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In the Apology Socrates defends himself against the charges brought against him by his prosecutor Meletus in two ways. In the first way Socrates describes his method and

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Socrates was a man that was in search of the truth about wisdom. However, it became more then just a search when it brought him to trail of accusations. As a philosopher Socrates was known to overdrawn ideas and to frustrate anyone he was talking to. He is always in search of a better idea and for anyone who has experienced Socrates could assume he is making up his own actualities. This becomes evident in “ Apology” written by Plato, where Socrates was brought in charges for corrupting the minds of the youth and not believing in the Gods.

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For this week's journal entry, I would like to bring up the idea of "wisdom" in reference to Plato's Apology.  Personally, I find that the way in which Socrates defends is wisdom is admirable, and although it leads to the verdict of him being killed, I think that this decision and the reaction by Socrates helps define wisdom. Socrates, in essence, says that he does not fear death because he is wise.  No one knows what death is -- perhaps it may be the best thing a person gets to experience. However, a person that is unwise would approach death into thinking that it is the worst thing that can happen in life.

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The language in Plato’s symposium and the expression of Sappho’s poetry are similar in that they both deal with homoerotic love. Sappho, the only ancient Greek female author whose work survived, talks from the female point of observation, where as Plato’s work concentrates on the idea of love among males. In spite of the fact that both of their points of view are comparative in courses, for example, their thoughts of physical fascination and want, Plato’s work creates a better understanding of the nature of love then Sappho’s ideas. This understanding will be shown with three arguments and counter- arguments in order to demonstrate the dominance of Plato over Sappho. It will than be concluded with an overview of the main idea and a recap of the three arguments made for Plato.

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The symposium is a book constructed on Plato’s conceptions around the passionate erotic love. To Plato and others during this time love (eros) was known as a god, with such beauty and goodness that others praise and competing for its entity. As a young boy of royalty older men would advertise themselves for a chance at love (eros). This was an opportunity to raise a boy into a man, teaching all the necessary tools needed for adulthood. Some of these roles as a partner included being sexual active.

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Socrates started his life as an average Athen citizen. His parents worked, making an honest living. But as Socrates grew up, he began to realize that his mind questioned things and wondered how come no one else questioned the same things or at least think about the answers to the questions that were not answered. So, as his mind kept wandering, he began to acknowledge the questions that were not answered and sought for those answers. He ended up believing and teaching things to other people, whether it went against the way the Athen government or not, he still continued his work.

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Several times in each book those listening to Socrates ask questions or ask him to explain himself more thoroughly. Socrates’ city does not evoke clarity at all, at least not if it is to be judged by the audience’s reaction to his

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The main value that Socrates espouses is knowing oneself. He makes references to this several times throughout his address to the jury, beginning with the first line “I do not know, men of Athens, how my accusers affected you; as for me, I was almost carried away in spite of myself” (Plato 17a). This suggests that Socrates acknowledges that his accusers such talented speakers that they had the ability to cause him to even question who he was. His style of examining himself through questioning continues throughout his address when he considers how he has come to be known as wise. He asks what kind of wisdom he could possess and answers “Human wisdom, perhaps.

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